Enrosadira Trail

The Enrosadira Trail is a mountain trail race that starts and finishes in La Val, known as Wengen in German and La Valle in Italian, a Ladin village in Alta Badia, South Tyrol, at the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Dolomites. First held in 2026 and billed as the first trail running event in Alta Badia, it takes place on a Saturday in early October. Its name is the Ladin word for the moment at sunset when the pale Dolomite rock faces turn pink and then ember red. The organisers picked autumn for the low, warm light and the golden larches that cover the slopes at that time of year.

All three loops start from the church square in La Val, at around 1,360 metres. The 55 km, called The Iconic Loop, climbs roughly 3,400 metres and sets off at 7:30am on a grand tour of the valley: Badia near Runch around kilometre 15, Corvara around kilometre 25, San Cassiano around kilometre 34, then the climb to La Crusc by the Santa Croce sanctuary, above 2,000 metres, and on to Ütia da Rit before the final descent. Each of these five points is both an aid station and a cut-off, and the overall time limit is 13 hours.

The 40 km, or Gardenaccia Loop, starts at 8:45am with about 2,450 metres of climbing. It explores the Gardenaccia and La Villa area, with aid stations at Badia (Runch), Raezia, La Crusc and Ütia da Rit, and has an 11-hour limit. The 20 km, or Prati del Rit, leaves at 10am with about 1,250 metres of climbing: it heads up to the high Rit meadows past the church of Santa Barbara and several traditional hamlets, with aid stations at Ramëi and Ütia da Rit, and must be completed within 6 hours.

More than 85 % of the routes are on trails, and the high point sits just above 2,100 metres. The 20 km suits trail runners who already have some mountain experience, while the two longer distances call for proper preparation for big climbs and long hours on the move, at a time of year when the cold can set in quickly at altitude. Entries are capped at 150 runners per distance, and all three races are listed with ITRA.

Along the way, runners pass through the viles, old Ladin hamlets of farmhouses and wooden barns clustered tightly together, and skirt the edges of the Puez-Odle and Fanes-Senes-Braies nature parks. La Val describes itself as the first certified European Hikers' Village in South Tyrol. Around the race, the programme includes bib collection at the race village, a technical briefing and a welcome drink, followed by the prize-giving and a party. Without a car, take the train to Bruneck/Brunico, then bus line 460 to Pederoa and a local connection up to La Val.